You could say that these sécateurs are the liaison between grapes and wine, couldn't you? For how could one exist without the other–how could wine be born without vines first being torn? It is with a snip or a clippety clip that one then becomes the other. In cutting the umbilical cord, or stem, transition begins. So then transition, or liaison, this is our word … Continue reading liaison
Le Petit Larron — The Little Thief. larron (lah rohn) noun, masculine : thief l'occasion fait le larron = opportunity makes a thief Le larron does not seem to be used in conversational French (my daughter taught me the word after she learned it in her French class while reading a classic text) … so here are some useful synonyms: un escroc (swindler, con … Continue reading larron
Max and Jackie with baby Braise, 2006 la fifille(fee-fee) noun, feminine : affectionate term for "my little girl" or "sweetheart" Petit Larousse (French) definition: fifille = fille, fillette (girl, little girl) Audio File & Example Sentence:Listen to my (then 11-year-old) son, Max, pronounce the following sentence:Viens ici ma fifille! Come here, my girl! Download MP3 or Download wav French Expression:filfille à sa maman = … Continue reading Our New Puppy & Dog Commands in French
Soul mates l'âme soeur (lam sur) noun, feminine : soul mate Audio file and example sentence: Listen to my daughter (then me, with a bit of difficulty…) pronounce these French words: Download Wav or Download MP3 Pourquoi cette difficulté de trouver la véritable "âme sœur"? Peut être parce qu’il n’y en a qu’une sur Terre. Why is it so difficult to find one's true … Continue reading ame soeur
Harvesters' Hands: Jacqui (left) and Denise (right). More, in today's story column written by Denise. main (mahn [silent "n"]) noun, feminine : handMy dictionary has one full page of definitions and expressions for the French word "main"… I will need your help, today, in listing those "main" (hand) terms and idioms that you know. How about if I start… and you continue the list? … Continue reading main
A bakery in the town of Camaret sur Aigues, in the heart of Provence. fille (fee) noun, feminine. : daughterTelle mère, telle fille.Like mother, like daughter. –Ezekiel Audio File:Listen to the French word "fille" and the above quote: Download mp3 . Download wav A Day in a French Life…by Kristin Espinasse (We Three: my daughter, my mom, and I)At ten-years-old:I liked motorcycles and … Continue reading fille
(Photo taken here at Domaine Rouge-Bleu.) Read about one harvester's experience in the following story column! Reminder: If you happen to be in Paris on October 7th then we would love to meet you at the American Library! terroir (ter-waahr) noun, masculine : soil; land un accent du terroir = a rural accentla cuisine du terroir = country cookingun poète du terroir = poet … Continue reading terroir
The harvest: Phase Two and Grape Expections in today's story column. attente (ah-tahnt) noun, feminine : expectation "Attente" has other meanings and expressions… Help add to the definition by listing them in the comments box. contre toute attente = contrary to all expectationsrépondre à l'attente de = to live up to someone's expectations Audio File and Example Sentence: Hear me pronounce the following French … Continue reading attente
photo taken in the Montafon Valley, Austria. Click to enlarge. clochette à vache (klo-shet ah vash) noun, feminine : cow-bell Audio File & Example sentence: Listen to American me… and my French son… give our individual versions of the following French words! Download Wav file or Download MP3 Je collectionne les clochettes à vache.I collect cow-bells. Note: my first three or four attempts at … Continue reading clochette a vache
My son, Max, taming les toutous. Harvest update: Youpie* — Charles has arrived! After a quadruple bi-pass surgery in 2007, this is his third vendange* here at Domaine Rouge-Bleu where Charles doubles as investisseur! He just can't seem to get in enough back-breaking, knee-numbing grape-picking (and he can't get in enough greasy chips in either! Don't worry, Martha, I'll see if we can get our … Continue reading apprivoiser
